global demand for skilled trades soars in the AI era.

The digital revolution underway has a physical foundation. While headlines focus on AI and the future of white-collar work, the real constraint on global growth is the scarcity of specialized talent in the skilled trades. This means the people who build the data centres, upgrade the power grids and maintain the infrastructure that makes AI possible. The demand for skilled trades is evolving into highly specialized, digital-first work. Because these roles now demand the same continuous learning as knowledge workers, we must fundamentally re-rate the skilled trades as a top-tier career track. Leaders must adapt by prioritizing investments in education, skilling, and training. Failing to do this will stall the AI-fueled growth we seek to achieve.

Sander van ‘t Noordende, Randstad CEO